Home ice cream and soft drink maker with automatic air injection

Abstract

Ice cream and soft drink producing apparatus for small establishments and residential use. It produces soft ice cream and soft drinks from a mixture of ingredients contained in the apparatus by infusion of carbon dioxide or similar gases contained in compressed form in canisters associated with the apparatus. A unique diffusion plate containing a large number of small diameter diffusion holes is positioned under the ice cream or soft drink mixture and above the inlet for the compressed gas, so that the gas, going through the diffusion plate is finely dispersed and injected into the mixture, without the need for rotating machinery such as paddles or beaters. A diffusion plate in which the diffusion holes are positioned to one side of the diffusion plate is especially effective in that it causes the ice cream or soft drink mixture to be agitated and rolled over for better exposure to the compressed gas. In one version, the diffusion plate is positioned atop a sealing ring such that the ring may cover the perimeter holes with adjustable pressure against the ring resulting in selectively controlled texture of the final product. The ice cream maker is placed in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator where the soft drink or ice cream mixture is chilled or frozen as required.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for production of ice cream and/or drinks from a mixture of ingredients comprising: container means containing a mixture of ingredients;   supply means for compressed gas;   diffusion plate means containing a plurality of small diameter holes, disposed between said supply of compressed gas and said mixture;   control means for controlling the flow of compressed pressed gas from said supply of compressed gas through said diffusion plate into said mixture; and   locking means consisting of coordinated lugs and a sealing O-ring for airtightly detachably attaching said container means to said supply means for compressed gas;   said diffusion plate means being disposed near the bottom of said container means;   said supply means for compressed gas supplying compressed gas to said mixture contained in said container means;   said container means comprising a top cover, walls, and a bottom plate, with said top cover detachably attached to said walls;   said bottom plate having an aperture leading to said diffusion plate means such that said supply means supplies compressed one through said latter aperture to said diffusion plate means and said compressed gas enters the mixture through said small diameter holes in said diffusion plate means;   said supply means including at least one canister containing compressed gas;   a further O-ring disposed between the underside of said diffusion plate means and the top surface of said bottom plate; and   a diffusion plate adjustment wing screw threadedly attached to a matching threaded hole in said bottom plate and securing said diffusion plate to said bottom plate with said diffusion plate tensioned against said further O-ring.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising at least one pressure relief valve. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising dispensing means for dispensing the contents of said container means, said dispensing means comprising: a dispensing spout;   a dispensing cock; and   a dispensing riser pipe, said dispensing riser pipe extending vertically upward from a point near the inside bottom of said container means through said top cover to said dispensing spout.   
     
     
       4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a diffusion adjustment and vent rod operatively engaging said diffusion plate wing screw, said vent rod extending from said wing screw through a gas tight bushing disposed in said top cover and further comprising a handle attached externally to said vent rod, said handle and vent rod operating to manually adjust the tension of said diffusion plate against said further O-ring. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said diffusion plate further comprises small diameter perimeter holes, said perimeter holes disposed opposite said further O-ring. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said small diameter holes are all disposed on one side of a diameter through said diffusion plate.